the corcovado mountainwas eventually chosen, with the idea that the statue would not only be the ultimate religious and cultural symbol, but also a great site to look out over the city. the designer of the statue was brazilian architect, heitor da silva costa, whose design was chosen by the organizers of the christ the redeemer project, in february 1922.

the original design was quite different to the statue that was eventually built, as it showed christ holding a cross with one hand, and a large spherical object in his other.